If you have a pet cat, or you’ve had them in the past, it’s possible that you’ve already been exposed to the infection (although you may not have realised it at the time) and are therefore immune to it.
Although only 25 per cent of women in Australia are immune to toxoplasmosis before getting pregnant, your odds of contracting the infection during pregnancy are low (Gilbert 2002).
Fortunately, it’s possible to prevent infection by following some simple steps (see below).

What are the symptoms of toxoplasmosis?

More than 80 per cent of people do not experience any symptoms when they contract toxoplasmosis. For those who do, the symptoms are fairly mild and may include swollen lymph nodes in the neck, headaches, muscular aches, fatigue, intermittent fever and general flu-like symptoms. They can appear about two to three weeks after you’ve been exposed to the infection making it difficult to pinpoint the cause (VDH 2007).

Will toxoplasmosis harm my unborn baby?

Toxoplasmosis infection during pregnancy is rare, but if it does happen, it can cause serious problems for your unborn baby. The chance of it being passed on to a baby varies according to the stage of pregnancy when the infection is caught. The severity of its effects also varies according to the stage of pregnancy.
If you catch toxoplasmosis late in pregnancy your baby is more likely to be infected, but less likely to suffer damage.
If you are infected early in pregnancy, your baby is less likely to be infected, but is more likely to be damaged by the infection (Gilbert 2002).
An infection can lead to the following:

Most babies born with toxoplasmosis have no obvious damage at birth, but many develop symptoms months or even years later. These are usually eye infections, hearing problems or learning difficulties (BMJ 2013).
One in 10 babies born with toxoplasmosis have problems that are evident at birth. These babies are most likely to have serious problems such as blindness, deafness and brain damage. Sadly, some babies are stillborn or survive only a few days after birth (Tommys 2013).

How will I know if I have toxoplasmosis?

Pregnant women in Australia aren’t routinely screened for toxoplasmosis. However, if you’re concerned that you may have been exposed to the infection, you could ask your GP to do a blood test that will tell you whether or not you’re immune.
If you are concerned you may have been exposed to toxoplasmosis talk to your doctor or midwife. You may need further testing. If infection is suspected or confirmed an antibiotic called spiramycin may help reduce the risk to your baby (Gilbert 2002, BMJ 2013).
It’s also possible to test whether your unborn baby is infected, although the tests cannot show how severe any damage is. The test is done by taking a sample of your baby’s blood from the umbilical cord or a sample of amniotic fluid. However, the results of these tests are not completely accurate. The antenatal test is not routinely offered because the risk of the procedure causing miscarriage can outweigh the potential benefits (NCCWCH 2008: 203, BMJ 2013).
Babies can also be tested after birth. If your baby does show any signs of the infection, he will be treated with antibiotics.
Your doctor should help you decide whether to test your baby during pregnancy or not, by weighing up the risks of transmission against the odds that your baby will be affected by the disease. This will vary according to the stage of pregnancy at which you were infected.

How can I prevent toxoplasmosis?

Make sure that all meat and chilled ready-meals are thoroughly cooked before you eat them. If you can see any pinkness or blood on the meat, don’t eat it.

Don’t eat cured meats, such as Parma ham and salami.

Avoid unpasteurised milk and products made from it.

Always wash fruit and vegetables, particularly if you are eating them raw, including ready-prepared salads.

If you’re gardening or handling soil or sand, wear gloves and wash your hands afterwards in case you have come into contact with cat poo in the soil.

Cover children’s outdoor sand boxes to prevent cats using them as litter boxes.

Wash your hands thoroughly after contact with sheep at farms and outdoor play centres with animals, and avoid handling newborn lambs.

If you have a cat, use gloves when emptying the litter tray and wash your hands afterwards, or, if you can, get someone else to deal with the litter tray while you’re pregnant. Empty the litter tray daily (NCCWCH 2008: 204; BMJ 2013; Tommy’s 2013)

Following the precautions above should be enough to prevent you catching toxoplasmosis, even if you have an infected cat. However, if you’re still worried, you could ask your vet to test your cat to see if he has been infected with toxoplasmosis, although you will have to pay for the test. If it proves positive, you might decide to put him into a cattery for six weeks until he is no longer infectious.

VDH 2007.The blue book – Guidelines for the control of infectious diseases. Victorian Department of Health, Communicable Diseases Prevention and Control Unit. www.health.vic.gov.au [Accessed June 2014].

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